Ballast cleaning machine



Nov. 10, 1931.

J. L. DOBBINS ET AL BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1929 4Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS O mm m A U m@ .mf/m L@ @P V. B

NOV. l0, 1931. J, 4 DOBBINS ET AL 1,831,483

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Shea 2 PASQUALEURslNo, BY

A TT ORNE Y.

N0V- 10, 1931- J. l.. DQBBINS ET AL 1,831,483

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 2. 192e 4 sheets-sheet s a/ soINVENToRb JOHN L. DoBlNs PASQUALE ATTORNEY.

NOV- 10, 1931-- JJL. DoBBlNs ET AL 1,831,483

BALLAST CLEANING MACHINE Filed April 2, 1929 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 @Le-w+@ f7f JOHN L, DoBlNs PASQUALE URslNo,

M TYORNEY.

sfa-y INVENTORS.

Patented Nov. 10, 1931 UNITED STAYTES'PATENT FFICE' `ToHN L. DOEBINS, EBERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, AND PASQUALE UnsINo, or

NEW YORK, N. Y@

BALLAST cLEnNrNG MAcHiNE A.implication filed April 2,

The present invention relates to a machine for removing and handlingballast or like material of a railway track, and has particularreference to improvements in the digging means shown and described inour co-pending application for ballast cleaning machine, filed August-23, 1928, Serial No. 301,648.

In our co-pending application, a machine is shown embodying a railwaycar, upon le which is mounted a relatively fixed or stationary plowsharewhich engages with .the shoulder of the ballast beyond the ends or' lineof the cross ties. Mounted upon the car, and fol-lowing the plowshare,we have shown in this application a relatively movable digger, workingin conjunction with the plowsliare, and adapted to dig. within the endsof the cross ties, beneath the same, removing the ballast or likematerial, and throwing it outwardly into the trench previously Vformedby the plow share. `The ballast or like ymaterial thus loosened up, dug,and thrown outwardly from the plowshare, is taken' Y,up Vby a conveyor,and may be screened orcleaned, and then returned inplace betweenV oroutside the cross ties. Y

The present invention relates tovimprovements in the diggingmeans forthe ballast or like material. In accordance with our present invention,we provide a plurality of digging units, embodying `relativelystationary plowshares. These plowshares are positioned differentdistances from the cross Srl ties. For the purpose of illustration, wehave j showing the action of the forward plowshown three digging units,in each group,

although the invention is in no sense restricted to this number. It ispreferred that the ,plowshare of the leading unit be arranged-outwe-rdly of the ends of the cross ties', and 10 the greatest'distancefrom such ends, wherethe ballast, providing an outer trench furrow, theballast being thrown outwardly, by the action of the plowshare and itsmold board. The next rear'digging unit has its plowshare positionedoutwardly-of. the ends of the cross ties but nearer to the same and willcut'further inwardly into the shoulder of he ballast or roadbed,throwing the material outwardly into the previously formed trench. v

1929,( serial No. 351,994.

K4lhe rear ortrailing digging unit hask its plowshare positionedinwardly of the intermediate plowshare, and its forward end projectsbeneath the cross ties, and inwardly of the same for a suitabledistance. The rear plowshare digs the ballast or material beneath thecross ties, inwardly from the free ends thereof, throwing the sameoutwardly toward the previously dug ballast or like material. Means areprovided to/independently raise and lowerthe plow-share of eachunit, andto shift the plowshares laterally, inwardly or outwardly. .lhe diggingunits are readily adjustable, and yreliable in operation. W'econtemplate using the digging units in the place of the plowshare anddigging mechanism shown our said co-pendingv application, and a l otherparts of the machine may remain the same. IIow ver, the digging unitsare not necessarily restricted to this particular use.

`In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and`in which like numerals'are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe same,

,i Figure l is a plan view of two groups of digging units, embodying ourinvention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one group of digging units. Y

`Figure 3 is a transverse sec-tion taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figurefl isa horizontalV section taken on. line lof Figure 3,

VFigure v5 yis a partly diagrammatic View,

share,

Figure 6 is a. similar view showing the action of the intermediateplowshare.

Figure, 7 is a similar view showing the ac ytion of the plowshare, bythis plowshare will cut the shoulder-of Figure 8 is a plan view showingthe action of the rear plowshare,

Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken on line 9-9 of Figure 5, f

Figure l0 is a plan View of the point and mold board of the plowshare,and,

Figure l1 isatransverse vertical section through the shifting drum orwheel.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown apreferred embodiment Vthe form of a substantially flat plate.

of our invention, the numeral 15 designates the body of a railway car,mounted upon usual wheelsl, to travel upon track rails 17.

These track rails are supported by the usual This plate is provided atits rear end with spaced knuckles 21, receiving therebetween ki'iuckles22, carried by a plate or'leaf 23,

having a flange or flanges 24. This plate andits flange or flanges arebolted or otherwise rigidly secured to the longitudinal edge Vof the carbody. The knuckles 21 and 22 are pivotally connected by means of a pinlt is thus seen that the supportl 19 is pivotally connected at its rearend with the car body 15,

to swing in a horizontal plane, so that its forward end may be adjustedtoward or away from the car body.

Means are provided to swing the support V19 inwardly or outwardly, asstated, such means comprising a vertical shaft 26, journaled in abearing 27, said bearing being rigidly mounted upon the car body,beneath the top of the saine. At its lower end, the vertical shaft 26carries a drum or wheel 28, rigidly mounted thereon, and this drum isprovided in its top and bottom with involute grooves or tracks 29,receiving pins 30, rigidly attached to arms or brackets 31, which arerigidly secured to the inner side of the support 19. llt its upper end,the shaft 26 earries a gear or pinion 32, rigidly mounted thereon,engaging a similar gear or pinion 33, which i.; rigidly mounted upon thelower end of a vertical shaft 84, suitably journaled in a bearing 36.The shaft 34 may be turned by a hand wheel 37, or by any other suitablemeans. Means are provided to lock the shaft 35 against turning movement,comprising a pinion 38, rigidly mounted thereon, and adapted forengagement with a pivoted dog 39, as shown.

The numeral 40 designates a vertically adjustable supporting element,preferably in This supporting element is provided at its longitudinalvertical edges with sockets 41, slidably receiving the edges of guidesor angle irons 42, rigidly secured to vertical webs 43, integral withthe plate 20. These webs are preferably reinforced by webs 44. n

The means to raise and lower each supporting element 40, embodies avertical rack 45,k rigidly attached to a vertical web 46, preferablyformed integral with the supporting element 40, upon the inner sidethereof.

'tu'dinal hill e.

This rack is engaged by a pinion 47, carried by a horizontal transverseshaft 48, which extends into a gear casing 49. The shaft 48 is driven bya speed reducing worm drive,

. of any well known or preferred type, mounted in the gear casing 49,and this worm drive receives its rotation from a motor 50. The motorvand gear casing 49 are suitably rigidly mounted upon the inner side ofthe plate 20. This may be effected by meansof a platform 51, and arms52` integral with a plate 20. It is thus seen that the motor 50 andassociated elements swing as a unit with the support 19 and by drivingthe motor, the supporting elem-ent 41 may be vertically adjusted.

Each supporting element 41 is provided at its lower end with a plowshareor digging element 53, tapered forwardly, and a mold board 54 `isrigidly attached to the supporting element with the plow share. The plowshare is preferably formed separate from the mold board, and both plowshare and mold board are detachably connected with the supportingelement. The construction of the plowshares are substantially identical,but the rearmost plowshare isinclined inwardly toward its forward end,for a lgreater distance than the remaining forward plowshares.

The numeral 87 designates conveyors, disposed rearwardly of theplowshares. These are preferably the sameconveyors shown in our saidco-pending application.

In the operation of the machine, the supports '19 are adjusted outwardlyto selected positions. The forward support is preferably adjustedoutwardly beyond the intermediate support, and the intermediate supportis arranged outwardly of the rear support. As a result of this, thethree plowshares will 'beAa-rrange'd different distances from the endsof the cross ties. The forward plowshare will be arranged outwardly ofthe ends of the cross ties, and the greatest distance from the same, theintermediate plowshare will be arranged outwardly of the ends of thecross ties and nearer to the same, while the rear plowshare will bearranged the closest to the ends of the cross ties and will projectunder andV inwardlyv of the ends of the cross ties. The diggingoperation is effected by the slow forward travel of the car bodyA 15.The car may-be moved forwardly at about one-half of a mile an hour. Theforward plowshare cuts into the shoulder Z of the roadbed, Fi

ure 5, outwardly of the ends of the cross ties,

and at a-point the farthest distance therefrom. This forms a furrow inthe shoulder of the roadbed, and the ballast or like material is thrownoutwardly by the action of the plowshare and mold board, forming alongi- The intermediate plowshare cuts into the 'shoulder d, nearer theends of the cross ties, but koutwardly of the saine,

lit

throwing'r` the ballast and like material toward or into the previouslyformed furrow,

'whereby `an additional hill f is produced.

The rearinost plowshare projects under the cross ties andextends'inwardly beyond thev outwardly from beneath the cross ties, uponthe previously formed hill f. The rearmost plowshare is adjusted so thatit will not cut inwardly beneath the cross ties for too great an extent,thus iinpairing the roadbed. The hilled up ballast or like material,which has been dug or excavated from around and beneath the ends of thecross ties, and thrown outwardly beyond the same, is now collected bythe conveyors 87 and may then be cleaned or screened, and inallyreturned to the roadbed, as fully explained in our said co-pendingapplication.

It is to be understood that the form of our invention, herewith shownand described, is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, andthat various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may beresorted to without departing fromthefspiri't of our invention, or thescope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim y 1. In apparatus-of thecharacter described, the combinationwith a wheeled railway car to travellongitudinally upon a railway track, of longitudinal sets of diggingdevices mounted upon the car near its opposite sides, each set includinga plurality of plowshares arranged to diginto the read-bed ot' the trackand facing inwardly toward such road-bed, one plowshare being arrangedto dig outwardly of the ends of the railway cross-ties and the otherplowshare being arranged to dig beneath and within the ends of thecross-ties of the same road-bed, and

i means for holding all of the plowshares when in the operative positionstationary with relation to the railway car, the arrangement being suchthat the digging action of all oi the nlowshares lis due solely to theirlongitudinal travel with the railway car.

Q. In apparatus of the character described` the combination with awheeled railway car to travel longitudinally upon a railway track, ofplowshares arranged near and upon opposite sides of the railway car andinclined inwardly with relation to the road-bed of the same railwaytrack, said plowshares being arranged to dig beneath and within the endsof the cross-ties of the saine road-bed and to ai conduct the loosenedmaterial outwardly from the ends of the cross-ties by virtue of theirinclinations, and means for holding all of the plowshares when in theoperative position stationary with relation to the railway cars, thearrangement being such that the track,oi` aplurality ofplowsharesmounted `upon they car ina longitudinal group, the plowshare'in advancebeing arranged toV dig Vinto the road-bed of the same track outwardly ofthe ends of the cross-ties, and the Vplowshare at therear being arrangedto dig into the road-bed beneath the cross-ties and inwardly o1E theends of the same, both plowshares being constructed todeflect the loos--ened material outwardly from the ends of the cross-ties, and means forholding all of the plowshares when yin the operative position.stationary with relation to the railway car, the arrangement being suchthat the dig- -Y ging'. action of all of the plowshares is due solely totheir longitudinal travel withthe railway car. f

4 In apparatus of the character described,

a. railway car, a. support pivotally mounted upon the railway car sothat'one end thereof ma be swim@` laterall toward land from the car, awheel mounted upon the car and having an involute track, a memberconnected with the support and engaging the involute track, means toturn the wheel, avertically adjustable supportingelement mounted uponthe support, and a plowshare carried by the supporting element.

5. In apparatus for digging and removing ballast, the combination with arailway car, afplurality of'separate supports mounted-upon the railwaycary near its edge and shiftable laterally with relation thereto,separate means to shift eachsupport whereby they are laterallyadjustable independently of each other, a vertically movable supportingelement carried by each support,.means to vertically adjust eachsupporting element so that they are movable vertically inde-WI pendently'of each other, and a plowshare vcarried by-'tlielower end of eachsupporting element theV arrangement of the plow-shares being such that,they all dig the roadbed of the tracks supporting the car, and oneplow-v share digs the roadbed at a point inwardly of the ends of thecross-ties, andthe other plowshare-or plowshares dig theroadbed atpoints outwardly of 4the linel of digging of -tlie plowshare digginginwardly of the endsoi the cross ties.. f

6. lIn apparatus for digging up and reinoving ballast, thecombinationwith a railway car, of a plurality ofseparate laterally movable supportsmounted upon thecar near its side, separate means to shift each supportso that they are laterally movable independently of each other, avertically vadjustable supporting element mounted upon each support,mean-s mounted upon thesupport yand' IT CFI movablebodilywith it toraise and lower the vertically adjustable supporting element, and aplowshare carried by each supporting eleinent, the plowshares beingarranged so that they all dig lthe side of the roadbed of a tracksupporting the car, one plowshare digi ging inwardly of the endsof thecross-ties of such track and the other plowshare or plow- -sharesdigging outwardly of the line of digging'of the plowshare digginginwardly of the ends or' said cross-ties.

' 7. In apparatus for digging up and removing ballast, the combinationwith a railway car, of a plurality of separate supports pivlthehorizontally swinging support to move bodily therewith, nieansdriven bythe motor to raise and lower the vertically movable supporting element,and a plowshare carried by each supporting element.

8. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with arailway car to travel upon a railway track, of a longitudinal set ofdigging devices mounted upon the car and disposed near one side thereof,each digging device including a plowshare, each plowshare being arrangedto act upon the roadbed of the track carrying said car, one plowsharedigging beneath and within the ends o' the cross-ties, and the otherplowshare digging outwardly of the line of digging of the plowshareoperating within the ends of the crossties, and means to angularlyadjust each plowshare inA a generally 'horizontal plane and lock thesame in the selected adjusted position to the railway car so that eachplowshare is stationary with relation to the railway car, thearrangement being such that the digging action of each plowshare is duesolely to the 'longitudinal travel of such plowshare with the railwaycar.

9. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with arailway car to travel upon .a railway track, of longitudinal sets ofdigging devices mounted upon the car-near the opposite sides of thesaine, each digging `device embodying a plowshare, one plowshare in eachset being arranged to dig beneath and within the ends of the cross-tieof the track carrying thecar, and the other plowshare being arranged todig within the roadbed of the same track at a point outwardly of theline of digging of the plowshare digging inwardly of the ends of thecross-ties, and means to shift each plowshare laterally `with respect tothe car and to lock Y the saine to the car in a selected adjustedposition so that it is stationary with relation to the car, thearrangement being` such that 'the digging action of each plowshare 'isdue entirelyto its longitudinal travel withthe railway car.

In testimony whereof we affx our signatures.

